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ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
TO THE ORDINARIES OF CENTRAL ASIA
ON THEIR "AD LIMINA" VISIT
Visit "Ad
Limina Apostolorum" 2008
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Pope tells
Bishops from Central Asia: “Despite the severe pressures suffered during
the years of the atheist communist regime, the flame of faith remained
alight in believers' hearts thanks to the zealous sacrifice of priests,
religious and lay people.”
“We give
thanks to the Lord that despite the severe pressures suffered during the
years of the atheist communist regime, the flame of faith remained
alight in believers' hearts thanks to the zealous sacrifice of priests,
religious and lay people. Although the community may be a ‘small flock,’
there is no need to lose heart, dear Brothers!” These were the words of
Pope Benedict XVI in addressing the group of Bishops and Ordinaries from
Kazakhstan and Central Asia, whom he received on the occasion of their
“ad Limina Apostolorum” visit, on October 2.
At the beginning of his address, the Pope gave a special greeting to
Archbishop Tomash Peta of Maria Santissima in Astana, and President of
the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Kazakhstan, the other Bishops and
Delegate from the Greek Catholic community in Kazakhstan; the Apostolic
Administrator in Kyrgyzstan; the Apostolic Administrator in Uzbekistan;
the Superior of the Missio sui iuris in Tadjikistan; and the Superior of
the Missio sui iuris in Turkmenistan.
As in the early communities, today as well, it is the Holy Spirit who
guides the Church, the Pope said, encouraging the Bishops to let
themselves be guided by Him: “Keep the flame of faith alight among
Christian people. Conserve and draw vantage from the important pastoral
and apostolic experiences of the past. Continue to educate everyone in
listening to the Word of God and arouse, especially in the young, Marian
devotion and love for the Eucharist. Spread the practice of the Rosary
among families. Patiently and courageously, seek new forms and methods
of apostolate, making it your concern to modernise them in accordance
with today's needs, bearing in mind the language and culture of the
faithful entrusted to your care.”
In order to become a reality, these tasks need an “ever greater unity”
between Bishops and priests, which is why Benedict XVI encouraged the
Bishops to allow for an ever greater participation on the part of
priests and religious, as well as the laity, in carrying out the various
pastoral initiatives. He especially asked them to pay close attention to
their collaborators, listening to them as they too are workers in the
Lord’s vineyard: “Therefore, show yourselves to be ready and willing to
come to the encounter to those that seek you, supporting them in times
of difficulty, encouraging them to be increasingly more trusting in
Divine Providence that never abandons us, especially in the moment of
trial. Be a support for them when they are met with human and spiritual
solitude. At the basis of everything is the constant recourse to God in
prayer and continual effort towards unity among you, as well as in each
of you own various communities.”
The Holy Father then emphasized that “the challenges that our modern
globalized society places in the announcement and coherent practice of
Christian life,” in the areas of Central Asia, as well as throughout the
world. The Pope mentioned violence, terrorism, the spread of
fundamentalism and extremist mentalities. “There is certainly a need to
contrast this scourge with legislative means. However the force of law
must never itself become iniquity, nor can the free exercise of religion
be limited, because freely to profess one's faith is a fundamental and
universally-recognised human right.”
Before closing his address, Benedict XVI mentioned that “the Church does
not impose but freely proposes the Catholic faith, well aware that
conversion is the mysterious fruit of the action of the Holy Spirit.
Faith is a gift and a work of God, and hence excludes any form of
proselytism that forces, allures or entices people by trickery to
embrace it. A person may open to the faith after mature and responsible
reflection, and must be able freely to realise that intimate aspiration.
This benefits not only the individual, but all society, because the
faithful observance of divine precepts helps to build a more just and
united form of coexistence.”
Encouraging the Bishops to continue in their work, “knowing how to
appreciate everyone’s efforts,” the Pope also thanked the priests and
religious that work in the various ecclesiastical circumscriptions (the
Franciscans in the Diocese of the Holy Trinity in Almaty, the Jesuits in
Kyrgyzstan, the Conventual Franciscans in Uzbekistan, the religious from
the Incarnate Word Institute in the Missio sui iuris in Tadjikistan, the
Oblates of Mary Immaculate in the Missio sui iuris in Turkmenistan) and
encouraged other religious institutions to “be generous in offering
their own contribution, by sending personnel or means to carry out
apostolic work in the vast regions of Central Asia.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides
3/10/2008)
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